One of the hottest party of the summer continues each Thursday night at the Syracuse Inner Harbor. The party features food, drink and music from the bands in the open air, rain or shine. The action gets started at 6 p.m. and usually lasts until You'll find the Inner Harbor on West Kirkpatrick Street in Syracuse, almost directly south of Carousel Center.

The music will fill Clinton Square this weekend through Saturday for the free event. It will include yet-to-be-named national, maybe even international, acts. For details keep checking www.jazzinthesquare.org.

Arts and Crafts Festival

This is billed as the largest and most prestigious local event of its type. It will run 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in Columbus Circle.

Latin American Festival

The food, music and culture of the Latin American and the Caribbean will be on display 1 to 10 p.m. Aug. 16 and 17 in Clinton Square. The Spanish Action League organizes the event.

Southwest Showcase Sundays

It's a family affair. Free music will presented on several Sundays throughout the summer at Jubilee Park in the 100 bock of South Avenue.

All of the shows, except for Latin Sunday on Aug. 24, will take place at Jubilee Park. Latin Sunday will take place at Ward Park on Shonnard Street. The remaining dates are Monday, Aug. 10, Aug. 24 (at Ward Park) and Sept. 7, 21 and 23. These shows are all start at 3 p.m. For information go to www.showcasesundays.com.

Candlelight Series

Armory Square will host several performances this summer at West Jefferson and Franklin streets. All the concerts start at 8 p.m. They remaining shows are Aug. 2, 9 and 16.

Syracuse Opera

It's culture for free. The opera company will perform at 2:30 p.m. Aug. 3 at the Thornden Park Amphitheater. Use the Ostrom Avenue entrance. Bring lawn chairs or blankets.

Shakespeare in the Park

More free culture. "The Comedy of Errors" will be performed at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 7, 8 and 9; 2 p.m. Aug 10 and 17; and 5:30 p.m. Aug. 14, 15 and 16, at the Thornden Park Amphitheater. Bring a chair or blanket.

Earlier this summer, the Taste of Syracuse, the summer-launching party that allowed one to try dishes from dozens of restaurants without walking more than a couple of blocks, was even bigger this year. Thousands attend the two-day event in Clinton Square.

Other big celebrations this summer have included:

Syracuse Area Music Awards, June 6 and 7.

Juneteenth, an annual celebration of African-American culture, June 13 and 14.